Losing a pet can be a difficult transition in life.  Many times, individuals dismiss it since it does not involve the loss of a family member.  The reality is pets are family to millions of individuals.  The loss can be as painful as losing anyone.   Due to this dismissal, pet loss in many circles is disenfranchised an ignored. Pet Loss Grief Counseling or support groups can aid many who do not receive the proper support they need in this type of grief.

The article, “Losing a Pet Can Be Just as Hard as Losing a Loved One” by John Grohol looks at the deep seated pain that can result from the loss of a pet.  He points out the numerous ways pet loss can affect someone as much as losing a friend or family member.  He also lists how one can find ways to cope better in the aftermath of pet loss itself.  He states in regards to the lack of understand of pet loss in the following:

“Sadly, many people don’t understand pet loss and the value that pets hold in a person’s life. This can greatly add to a pet owner’s grief. Instead of being comforted and heard by friends or family (what psychologists refer to as validation), the person is told, “It was just a dog (or cat), get over it” or “I’m not sure why you miss that cat (or dog) so much.” These kinds of unintentionally hurtful comments can add to a person’s burden of grief (Messam & Hart, 2019)”

Losing a Pet Can Be Just as Hard as Losing a Loved One.  John Grohol, Psy.D.  PsychCentral. Feb 27th, 2022.

Access article  here

Commentary

The loss of a pet can be a difficult and emotionally charged experience. Pets provide us with companionship, love, and support, so when they pass away it can leave us feeling isolated and alone. The grieving process is often complicated by the fact that we may not have had the opportunity to say goodbye or to properly mourn our pet. This can lead to feelings of guilt or regret. It is important to allow yourself time to grieve and to reach out for support if you are struggling.

When a pet dies, it is not uncommon for people to experience a range of emotions, including sadness, anger, guilt, and confusion. The grieving process is often described in stages, with the first stage being denial and isolation. This is followed by bargaining, in which the individual tries to make deals with God or other powers in order to bring their pet back. The third stage is depression, characterized by feelings of sadness and despair.  It is important to allow yourself to grieve. It is okay to feel sad and to cry. You should also try to talk about your feelings with friends or family members who will understand what you are going through.

Pet Loss and Disenfranchisement

Individuals who have experienced the loss of a pet may feel disenfrachised, or isolated from others who have not gone through a similar experience. This is because the loss of a pet can be a very significant and personal event, which can be difficult to communicate to others who have not experienced it. Additionally, the grief associated with pet loss can be complicated by the fact that it is often not recognized or validated by society at large.

When a person experiences the loss of a pet, it is important to respect their grief and not try to downplay their feelings. The loss of a pet can be just as devastating as the loss of a human family member, and so it is important to be understanding and supportive. Try to avoid saying things like “it’s just a animal” or “you can always get another one.” This can be very hurtful and dismissive of the person’s feelings.  In many families, pets are considered members of the family. They are given the same love and care as any other member of the family, and are often thought of as part of the family unit. Pets provide companionship and unconditional love, which can be beneficial to both children and adults. In some cases, pets may even help to teach responsibility and empathy.

When an individual experiences the loss of a pet, they may feel a deep sense of grief and sorrow. This grief can be difficult to cope with and may impact different areas of an individual’s life. To help address this grief, there are pet grief support services available. These services can provide individuals with support and resources to help them through their grieving process. By offering pet grief support, individuals can begin to heal from their loss and move forward in their lives.  Sometimes this support can come in the form of individual grief counseling or grief support groups who share similar losses.  This type of counseling is especially important due to the nature of pet loss being dismissed by many as not important or equal to the loss of a family member.  Since support is not given, many have to find support in counseling or within groups with like minded losses.

Conclusion

In conclusion it is important to remember that pet loss is real to many individuals.  Pets are just not mere trinkets or cute furry objects, but play pivotal roles in people’s lives.  They are not merely animals to be disregarded but true family.  Due to this, the loss is real and painful.  It is important not to sweep this type of loss under the rug but to respect it and help others through this painful process of losing a pet.

Please also review AIHCP’s Pet Loss Grief Support Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals.  After completing the six core courses of the program, professionals may then apply for the certification.  The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Pet Loss Grief Support Counseling.

Additional Resources

Pet Loss: A Disenfranchised Grief. Marty Tousley. Grief Healing. February 6th, 2017.  Access article here

Why We Need to Take Pet Loss Seriously. Guy Winch. Scientific American. May 22nd, 2018.  Access article here

Pet Loss: Understanding Disenfranchised Grief, Memorial Use, and Posttraumatic Growth.   Breeeanna Spain, et.al.  A multidisciplinary journal of the interactions between people and other animals.Volume 32, 2019 – Issue 4.  Access article here

Grieving the Loss of a Pet: Why It’s So Hard and Tips for Coping. Villy Valez. Veterinarians.org. March 4th, 2022.  Access article here

When someone loses a pet, many dismiss it as not important.  This type of disenfranchisement is common for grievers over pet loss.  They are made to feel as if their loss is minimal and not identical to the loss of a human being.  It is important to dismiss this type of shaming and recognize the reality of grief.  Attachment to a pet can be very strong and the pain is very real.  The grief of those who lose pets should be recognized and respected.  Please also review AIHCP’s Pet Loss Grief Support Certification

The article, “Nobody Can Tell You How to Feel After Losing a Pet” by Lianna Bass defends the emotions of pet owners who lose a pet.  She states,

“There comes a time in every pet owner’s life when you have to say your final goodbye—and, suddenly, the limitless source of love from your furry friend is just…gone. When that happens it can be absolutely devastating. For some people the death of a pet can feel even harder than losing a human loved one. We may not openly talk about pet grief in polite society, but most pet owners know that a pet isn’t just an animal. They’re also a beloved member of the family and a huge source of unconditional love, affection, and comfort.”

To read the entire article, please click here

Please also review AIHCP’s Pet Loss Grief Support Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals.  The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Pet Loss Grief Support.

The death of a pet is a pivotal moment in life, no matter how many previous cats or dogs have passed prior.  Each relationship is unique and special and each ending to that relationship is equally painful.  Saying good bye to any friend or family member is difficult and that is why saying goodbye to a pet is equally difficult.  For many, pets are family.  This is not odd or weird but a reality and completely normal.  Animals have pure souls of love and devotion and teach humanity many times the most loyalty.  It is then of no surprise that the loss of a pet can be a very painful moment for someone.

The article, “Lessons from loss: healing after a beloved pet dies” by Elsic Lynn Parini looks at the lessons we learn and the healing we experience after the loss of a pet.  The article states,

“In the case of two of my six cats they fell asleep on my heart and that’s when I fell in love in a very big way,” Glauber remembered of his own adoption experiences. “I now have the immense responsibility for this being… And then, all of a sudden, there’s the opposite feeling: ‘Oh no, man is it going to be hard to say goodbye to this creature.’ You can’t have the one without knowing the other will come… In our wildest fantasy, no being we love should ever die, but we know that is not true. The courage to grieve is the courage to love.”

To review the entire article, please click here

Please also review AIHCP’s Pet Loss Grief Support Certification and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.  The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Pet Loss Grief Support.

Losing a pet is painful but worrying about the right things to do before the pet dies can be difficult.  Anticipatory grief may begin to enter and we may lose valuable time with our cat, horse or dog.  It is important to make our pets last days as wonderful as possible as well as make the proper decision when to say goodbye.  This is easier said then done unfortunately.

Please also review AIHCP’s Pet Loss Grief Support Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals.  The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Pet Loss Grief Support.

Please also review the video below

Putting a dog, cat, horse, or any pet down is a painful decision.  It is something that takes much thought and love in regards to the pets condition and also one’s own anguish.  It is definitely not one of life’s happiest moments but in those moments, we find our true love for each other in the final goodbye.  The goodbyes used to be very sterile and informal.  The dog or cat was taken back never to be seen again.  Fortunately, now one can stand side by side or even receive the ashes of a loved pet.  Even so, now euthanasia is offered at home in some cases.  This is a difficult decision but may also be a more comforting one for many.

The article, “At-home euthanasia can provide comfort to pets and owners” by Kathryn Streeter looks closer at how a pet owner can utilize home euthanasia for one’s beloved pet.  She states,

“Psychotherapist and thanatologist Andrea Warnick has experienced both clinic and at-home euthanasia when her cats were terminally ill. “I think [at-home euthanasia] is a wonderful option because at this point a pet is pretty sick, and actually transporting them to a vet’s office can be anxiety-provoking and uncomfortable,” says Warnick, whose practice in Canada, Andrea Warnick Consulting, focuses on supporting grieving children, youths and adults.”

To read the entire article, please click here

Please also review AIHCP’s Pet Loss Grief Support Certification and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.  The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Pet Loss Grief Support.

Dealing with pet loss is difficult for many people.  Many individuals go through multiple steps and phases of grief.  Some deal with certain aspects of the loss itself.

The article, “5 Themes in How People Deal with Pet Loss” by Arash Emamzadeh looks at 5 particular themes of loss pet owners may lament in their mind.  He states,

“Unfortunately, these relationships sometimes end abruptly or tragically—such as when a pet dies or a helper animal has to be put down. As with any major loss, a period of suffering and grief is expected. But grieving the loss of a pet presents its own challenges; one such challenge is the lack of agreed-upon burial rituals and the problem of disenfranchised grief (grief not socially acknowledged or mourned publicly).”

To read the entire article, please click here

Pet loss can be a difficult time for a variety of reasons.  It is important to never dismiss this loss in others but to fully understand the impact of the loss on each individual

Please also review AIHCP’s Pet Loss Grief Support Program and see if it meets your academic and professional goals.  The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Pet Loss Grief Support.

Losing a dog is a painful life experience.  For some it happens multiple times, for others, the pain may be so great, it only happens once and they are unable to open up again.  The bond between human and canine is undeniable.  It is so strong that the love can be as strong as any love between family.  For those who truly understand it, the loss of a dog is the loss of family.  A dog is not owned, a dog is not a pet, but a family member that is loved and cherished.   Hence the loss of a dog can be a very agonizing loss.

The article, “How to Grieve for a Very Good Dog” by Annette McGivney looks closer at the grief experienced over the loss of a dog.  She states,

“When my yellow Lab died last spring, I was flattened by an overwhelming sadness that’s with me still. And that’s normal, experts say, because losing a pet is often one of the hardest yet least acknowledged traumas we’ll ever face.”

To read the entire article, please click here

If you would like to learn more about AIHCP’s Pet Loss Grief Support Certification, then please review and see if it matches your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Pet loss Grief Support.

Pet loss is no different than other loss but it is sometimes dismissed and downgraded.  Losing a pet is like losing family and it should be treated as such.  If someone loses a dog or cat that has been with them for years and has been their closest companion, then the loss will hurt as if a person has died.

The article, “How to mourn the loss of a pet: ‘There are no rules, grief has no endpoint’” by Gemma White reviews how intense the loss of a pet can be.  She states,

“Owners can sometimes face indifference or a lack of understanding from those who may not understand the place their pet held in their lives. But whether dog, cat, horse or hamster, the loss of a pet can have a devastating effect.”

To read the entire article, please click here

Please also review AIHCP’s Pet Loss Grief Support Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals.  The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Pet Loss Grief Support.